Creative Biolabs is a leading service provider that focuses on cosmetic microbiological tests. Now we are proud to provide Escherichia coli count service for our clients all over the world.

The Introduction of Escherichia coli in Cosmetic Products

Escherichia coli, also known as E. coli, is a well-known Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped, coliform bacterium of the genus Escherichia. Most E. coli strains are harmless and have a symbiotic relationship with the host as part of the normal intestinal microbiota. In addition, E. coli is the most widely used strain in the biotechnology industry and is often used to produce therapeutic recombinant proteins or to treat various gastrointestinal diseases.

Since E. coli should not be present in cosmetic products, E. coli count test is necessary to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the products.

Figure 1. Escherichia coli adhesins and harboring/motile structures. (Terlizzi, 2017)

ISO 21150 Test Procedure

E. coli is one of the microorganisms that cause diseases and must not be found in cosmetic products. The appearance of E. coli in cosmetic products means that the production, storage, and transportation conditions of cosmetics are not suitable for good manufacturing practices. The established ISO 21150 procedure provides a standard method to detect E. coli in cosmetic products.

To better ensure product quality and safety for clients, it is necessary to perform an appropriate microbiological risk analysis. Our test procedure allows providing information about whether there are E. coli in 1 g or 1 mL cosmetic samples. If the sample is miscible with water, we will directly dilute the cosmetics in the concentrated broth at a ratio of 1:10. If the sample is not miscible with water, we will pre-mix it with a solubilizer (polysorbate 80) and then add it to the concentrated broth. It is worth noting that if the test sample contains an antimicrobial preservative, the concentrated broth should contain a neutralizer. Finally, the samples will be cultured in the enrichment broth at 32.5°C for 24 to 72 hours and re-inoculated on selective and differential media to determine the presence of E. coli. If colonies compatible with E. coli are observed, they are further identified by routine biochemical identification tests and selective agar confirmation re-inoculation.

Due to the wide variety of cosmetic products in this application field, this method may not be suitable for every detail of some products, and other equivalent methods can also be substituted.

Advantages of our Escherichia coli Count Service

• Higher operating efficiency
• Suitable for a wide range of samples
• Ensure accuracy and credibility of results
• Low cost with fast results
• Fully customizable experimental design to expand beyond standard procedure

Equipped with world-leading technology platforms and professional scientific staff, Creative Biolabs is confident in offering the most qualified services and products for our customers all over the world. If you are interested in our products or services, please do not hesitate to contact us for more detailed information.

Reference

1. Terlizzi, M.; et al. UroPathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) infections: virulence factors, bladder responses, antibiotic, and non-antibiotic antimicrobial strategies. Frontiers in microbiology. 2017, 8: 1566.

• Aerobic Mesophilic Bacteria - Total Plate Count
• Preservative Efficacy Testing - Challenge Test
• Yeast and Mold Count
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa Count
• Staphylococcus aureus Count
• Candida albicans Count
• Total Gram-Negative Test
• Total Gram-Positive Test
• Microbial Identification